Whether pigs have wings
by Sister Golden Hair
Summary: Myra Wallace has been feeling strange lately. She's the only girl in her group of friends and it really bothers her. Now,when Vern Tessio claims he knows where to find a dead body,Myra see's this as her chance to prove herself once and for all.
1. 1

Disclaimer: Yeah, I know, I already have a story-in-progress! But this has been bouncing around in my head for a really long time, and I just have to get it out. Let me say right out, there'll be hardly any romance in this story! It's more of an adventure. Okay, I only own Myra, Rena, and their Dad. No one else! Oh, and about the quote at the beginning, it's from the book 'Through the Looking Glass' or 'Alice in Wonderland'. It's always reminded me of Stand By Me, I don't know why. I thought it would be a nice start to this story. The last line is also, duh, the title of the story! This will mostly consist of Myra's POV, but some of it will switch over to Rena. Myra will still be telling the story, but it'll be about Rena. One more thing, alot of lines are basically taken from the book/movie. I just want to say that, so people can't say I'm copywriting. I'm not, okay? Alright, I think that's everything! Onward!

* * *

**The time has come" The Walrus said,  
  
"To talk of many things  
  
Of shoes, and ships, and sealing wax  
  
Of cabbages and kings  
  
Why the Sea is boiling hot  
  
And whether pigs have wings."  
  
-Lewis Carroll - Through the Looking Glass**

* * *

Once upon a time...I really can start my story with 'once upon a time', because, well, once upon a time, I thought I was some sort of little princess. My family wasn't rich, not by any means, but we did have money. My older sister, Rena(three years and fourth months my senior) and I never wanted for anything. For the first ten years of my life, I lived in bliss. Then, Mama left. She ran away with a Bible salesman. Ironic, huh? My Daddy was a lawyer, a damn good one. He was always away on business, so it was that often Rena and me were by ourselves. Actually, it was me by myself, because Rena, who dated Richard 'Eyeball' Chambers, normally ran off with her friends the minute Daddy left.  
  
I had my friends too, of course. Most of my friends, like Rena's, were boys. My four best friends, Chris Chambers, Gordie Lachance, Vern Tessio, and Teddy DuChamp, were the ones I always ran to. They were like my brothers. We had a lot of good times. One particular time always sticks out in my mind, and it wasn't so good. It was the weekend of Ray Brower.  
  
We normally didn't listen to the news, but the story of Ray Brower held our attention, because he was the same age as we were. He had gone out to pick blueberries a few days before, and hadn't been seen since. The entire Tri-County area was in a total uproar over it. My story starts on a very hot Friday morning. I lay in my bed, thanking God for air conditioning. We were one of the few families in Castle Rock who actually had it. I climbed slowly out of bed and got dressed.  
  
I studied myself in the mirror as I pulled on a white tank top and a pair of ratty old denim shorts. I hated it because I had boobs. I knew it would've been weird if I didn't have some form of them, I was nearly thirteen for Christ sake, but I'd developed early. I got my first bra at age nine. Now, at twelve, I was already into a B cup, which probably doesn't sound to big to you, but when most of your friends are boys, it tends to be strange. Aside from my freak boobs, I was pretty much normal. I had long, strawberry blonde hair, green eyes, which would darken if I was angry or upset, my skin was tan from being outside all summer, and there were freckles on my face, back, shoulders, and arms. I was short for my age, barely 5-foot. I stared at my face in the mirror as I pulled my hair into a ponytail.  
  
"Myra!" Rena called from downstairs. "Teddy's here!"  
  
"Alright!" I shouted back. "I'm coming!"  
  
Teddy was standing uncomfortably in my kitchen, trying not to gawk at my sister, who was wearing shorty shorts and a swimsuit top, humming to herself. Rena and I were practically identical, expect for the facts that she was few inches taller, her hair was a little longer, and her boobs were way bigger. This last one was not a thing that went unnoticed by my friends, who, I supposed, had many fantasies that included her. I figured that's what I would look like in about three years. I didn't know whether to dread this, or look forward to it.  
  
"Hey, Teddy." I said. He looked at me, gratefully.  
  
"Hey Myra." He said. "Ready to go?"  
  
"Yep." We started to head out of the kitchen when my sister stopped us.  
  
"Wait, Myra!" She turned around, and I saw a faint purple mark on her neck, the beginning of a hickey. 'Eyeball has to leave his mark.' I thought. "Shouldn't you have something to eat before you go?" She handed me an apple. "Take this with you."  
  
"Thanks Sissy." That was my nickname for her, because when I learned to talk, I couldn't say 'Rena', so I said 'Sissy' instead. It just sort of stuck on.  
  
"I'm going over to Ace's later, so if you come home, that's where I'll be." She said. I should have known. When Dad was away, that was where she spent most of her time. I knew she went with Eyeball, but that was where they all hung out.  
  
"Okay." I replied, as Teddy and I headed out the screen door.  
  
"God, your sister's a fox!" Was the first thing Teddy said as we started down the street. I turned to him.  
  
"Well, you sure looked nervous back there! Why didn't you say anything to her?" I asked, raising my left eyebrow.  
  
"What, and have Eyeball Chambers kick my ass for hitting on his girl? No thanks."  
  
"Then shut up about it."  
  
He shrugged. "_Sooooorry_. Someone's sure got her claws out this morning. What crawled up your ass and died, Myra?"  
  
"You!" I said, stalking away from him. This is mostly what Teddy and my conversations consisted of, fights. We never seemed to get along anymore. I studied Teddy from the corner of my eye as he caught up to me. He wasn't bad looking, I guess. Dirty blonde hair, pretty brown eyes, hidden by thick, black glasses.  
  
His hair was shaggy, due to the fact that his left ear was nearly burnt off. That was his Dad's fault. Mr. DuChamp had been doing strange things for nearly a year, like shooting cats and lighting fires in people's mailboxes, when he held Teddy's ear to the stove burner. Now, he was up at Togus, a section 8. None of us ever mentioned this, because Teddy was very proud of his old man. Mr. DuChamp had been part of WW2, and had stormed Normandy, a story Teddy went over with us many time. My Dad had also been in the war, but he wasn't trying to kill Rena and me. I, of course, never said this out loud. Teddy and I fought alot, but I'd never say anything to hurt him like that. I mean, we'd grown up together! His house was just around the corner from mine.  
  
"Hey Myra?" Teddy said, tentatively from beside me.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Um, I'm sorry I made you mad." He looked at the ground as he said this. Teddy wasn't normally the type of guy to apologize, but he always did to me.  
  
I smiled at him, still muching my apple. "Oh, it's okay DuChamp. Just don't let it happen again!"  
  
He grinned. "Alright." We walked the rest of the way to the treehouse, talking about dumb things. Teddy opened the trapdoor. "We're the first ones!"  
  
"Great." I climbed up behind him. "What're we gonna do till the other guys get here?"  
  
He held up a pack of cards. "Three penny scat?"  
  
I rolled my eyes. I hated that stupid card game. "How 'bout not?" I picked up the book I'd been reading. I had left it in the treehoue by mistake the night before. It was a battered copy of 'Alice in Wonderland'. It was one of my favorites, and was battered because I'd read it many, many times. "I'm going to read. Turn on the radio."  
  
Teddy rolled his eyes. "All you do is read. You're as bad as Gordie."  
  
Gordie Lachance was probably the smartest guy in our group. He read alot of books and wrote fantastic stories. He was, in my opinion, the cutest of them all. His hair was light brown, and he had huge doe eyes. I guess I had a crush on him, though I'd never admit it. I was closer to Gordie than anyone else, possibly because our Dad's were good friends. Gordie told me that I was the only one of his friends his parents didn't complain about. About three weeks before, Gordie had kissed me on the cheek, and told me I was his girl. I wasn't entirely sure what this meant, but I got a funny feeling in my gut everytime I thought about him, or that kiss.  
  
"Shut up, Teddy. You're just jealous because you can barely read." I replied, settling back into the old hammock we had put up two summers ago. Teddy rolled his eyes again, and switched on the radio. Sixteen Candles, by The Crest, was playing.  
_Sixteen Candles  
  
Makes a lovely light  
  
But not as bright, as your eyes tonight  
  
Blow out the candles, make your wish come true  
  
And I'll be wishing that you love me, too  
_  
I hummed along to the song, getting caught up in my book. I was just at the part when Alice meet's the Cheshire Cat, when Chris Chambers sounded the secret knock, and climbed through the trapdoor.  
  
"Hey guys." He said. "Alice in Wonderland again, Myra? This is the thousand time you've read isn't it?"  
  
Chris was the toughest guy in our gang, and he was our leader. Chris came from a really bad family. His Dad was a drunk, who the rest of us hated. Sometimes, Chris would turn up with bruises and blackeyes. His older brother, Eyeball(Rena's boyfriend, remember?)beat up on him alot too. Rena, who thought Chris was "just the cutest little thing!" often chewed Eyeball's ass for hitting on Chris. I think maybe Rena had just started to get through to him, because Chris had said that Eyeball was being nicer to him. Chris was really nice, and he was one of my very best friends. I felt that I could trust Chris with anything.  
  
I giggled at Chris, sounding much more girly than usual. "Leave me alone!"  
  
"Ignore her." Teddy said. "Three penny scat, Chris?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
I snorted. _Boys_.  
  
There was a second secret knock, and up came Gordie. He waved at me, and immediately got in on the game.  
  
"Hey, how do you know a Frenchmen's been in your backyard?" Chris asked out of the blue.  
  
"Watch it, I'm French." Teddy, told him.  
  
"Shut the fuck up, Teddy. Go on, Chris." I said, looking up from my book. I loved Chris' French jokes. Rena said it must be the English in me.  
  
"The garbage can's are empty and your dog's pregnant." Chris answered. Gordie and I laughed.  
  
Teddy looked over his cards. "Didn't I just say I was French?"  
  
"Nobody cares about your Nationality,_ Theodore_, so hush it." I interjected.  
  
"I knock." Chris said quickly, before Teddy had a chance to retort. Chris made the best peace, and could sense when Teddy and I were about to get into it.  
  
"Shit." Teddy said, sending me a dark look.  
  
"Twenty-nine." Chris said. Teddy held up his cards.  
  
"Twenty-two."  
  
"Piss up a rope!" Gordie threw his cards down. He never was good at that game.  
  
"Gordie's out! Oh, Gordie just bit the bag and stepped out the door! Ehh, Ehh, Ehh!" Teddy taunted, laughing. His laugh sounded like fingernails on a chalkboard  
  
Chris rolled his eyes. "Just deal, man."  
  
Gordie came and sat by me on the hammock. He smiled at me, and his cheeks got a little pink. I suspected, he too, was remembering the kiss. He picked up a gory comic book, the ones I refused to read. They gave me nightmares.  
  
"Hey." He said, quietly. I smiled and tried not to blush.  
  
"Hey."  
  
Teddy interrupted our little blushfest. "I knock."  
  
"You four-eyed pile of shit." Chris said.  
  
"A pile of shit has a thousand eyes!" Teddy retorted. We all burst out laughing. Teddy looked confused. "What? What's funny? Come on, man. I've got thirty, what've you got?"  
  
Chris smirked. "Sixteen."  
  
Teddy scrunched his nose. "Oh, keep smiling. You're down to your ride, pal."  
  
Somebody started to try the secret knock, but it was all wrong. "That's not the secret knock!" Gordie called.  
  
"I forget the secret knock! Let me in!" Vern Tessio's voice came through the floorboards.  
  
Vern, while not the sharpest tool in the shed, was very sweet. He was a pudgy(okay, _fat_) boy, but, I really liked him. Not like I felt about Gordie, but Vern was very...sweet. That's the only word I can describe him with. Sweet.  
  
The rest of us looked at each other. "Vern." We all said.  
  
"Come on you guys, open up!" Chris opened the trapdoor, and Vern scrambled through. "Oh man, you guys are not gonna believe this. This is so boss. Oh man, wait'll you hear this, wait'll you hear this. You won't believe it. It's unbelievable. Let me catch my breath. I ran all the way from my house."  
  
Chris, Gordie, Teddy, and I glanced at one another, then burst into song. _"I ran all the way home. Ohhh Oh, Just to say I'm sorry, sorry oh oh... why can't I say it..."_  
  
"Come on, guys, listen to me. Guys, come on!" Vern said, but failing to shut us up. "Okay, forget it. I don't have to tell you nothing."  
  
Chris held up his hands. "Alright, guys, alright." He looked at Vern. "What is it, man?"  
  
Vern grinned. "Okay, great, you won't believe this sincerely..."  
  
The four of us burst into song again._ "I ran all the way home!"_  
  
Vern frowned. "Screw you guys."  
  
Chris smirked. "Okay, what is it."  
  
Vern grinned. "Can you guys camp out tonight? I mean if you tell your folks, we're gonna tent on my back field?"  
  
"Yeah." The four of us said.  
  
" I think so. Except, my dad's kind of on a mean streak. You know, he's been drinking a lot lately." Chris said, shrugging.  
  
"You got to man, sincerely! You won't believe this! Can you, Gordie?"  
  
"Yeah, probably." Gordie answered.  
  
Vern grinned again. "What about you, Myra?"  
  
I nodded, not taking my eyes off my page. "Yeah. My Dad's out of town till Tuesday. Rena's not home enough to care where I am."  
  
"So, what're pissin' and moanin' about, Verno?" Teddy asked, studying his cards.  
  
"I knock." Chris said.  
  
" What!" Teddy exclaimed. "You liar! You ain't got no pat hand! You didn't deal yourself no pat hand!"  
  
Chris smirked again. He sure was smirking alot that day, wasn't he? "Make your draw, shit heap."  
  
Vern glanced around at us. "You guys wanna go see a dead body?" He asked.


	2. 2

Author's Note: Okay, I've gotten several nice reviews, so I've decided to continue this! Weee! As you know, I only own Myra and Rena. If I owned anyone else, believe me, I wouldn't be stuck in this stupid ass hick town, with its population of 300. Yes, my town is even smaller than Castle Rock. We don't even have a high school! Oh yeah, one more thing! I might not get all the lines exactly right. I'm doing this from memory and if any of the lines are wrong, tell me, okay?

After Vern told us exactly how he knew we'd find Ray Brower, we all decided to go home and get ready for our little adventure.  
  
"We could meet back up here at noon." Chris suggested.  
  
"Okay." The rest of us agreed.  
  
Teddy and I walked back to Danberry Street, where we lived. Well, actually my house was on the corner of Danberry. It joined up with another street, Miller Road, which is where Ace Merrill lived. Unfortunately, Teddy and I had to walk up Miller Road to get to our houses. Ace, Eyeball, and some of their friends were sitting on the front porch. I noticed that Billy Tessio and Charlie Hogan weren't present. Big fucking surprise, huh? I turned to Teddy.  
  
"I'm gonna go tell my sister that I'm camping at Vern's, kay?" Camping out at Vern's house was our alibi.  
  
Teddy nodded and followed me up to the Merrill's front porch. I don't know why, but the Cobra's were always nice to me. They hated my friends, but they were always nice to me. I didn't know if it was because I was a girl, or because they were all in love with my sister. Maybe a little of both. So, this is why I felt no fear as I jogged up to Ace.  
  
"Hey, Ace."  
  
He smiled his half smile. "Hey, Short Stack." He made it a point to call me this everytime we spoke.  
  
"Don't call me that. Listen, is Rena here?"  
  
"She's inside, using the bathroom. Should be right back." Eyeball answered, puffing on his cigarette.  
  
"Um, is it okay if I wait for her? I have to ask her a question." I was nervous asking Ace this. As nice as they were to me, I didn't make it a point to be around them alot.  
  
Ace shrugged. "Have a seat."  
  
I sat on the steps, next to Vince Desjardins, who smiled at me. Vince was always one of the really nice ones. I turned to Teddy, who was fidgeting and being surprisingly quiet. "Teddy, you can go on. I'll catch up with you later."  
  
Teddy looked relieved. "Alright. See you later, Short Stack." I glared at him.  
  
"Shut the fuck up! Only Ace can call me that." I watched as Teddy walked away.  
  
"That your boyfriend?" Fuzzy Bracowicz, another Cobra, asked me. Fuzzy, who was dumber that a sack of hammers, was fairly nice too.  
  
"Who?" I looked at him. His fuzzy yellow hair made him look like a baby chicken, I thought.  
  
He nodded at Teddy's retreating back. "Four-eyes. He your boyfriend?"  
  
"Teddy? Ew! No, we're just friends." I shook my head. "I don't have a boyfriend."  
  
"Aw, why not?" Vince asked, smiling again.  
  
I shrugged. "I dunno. No boys like me, I guess." This was, of course, not true, but I couldn't tell them about Gordie. Besides I wasn't even sure if Gordie liked me. I know he said I was his girl, but what did that mean, exactly?  
  
Eyeball rubbed the top of my head. "Wait a few years, Shortie. Then they'll be swarmin' around ya, just like they do Rena. We'll have to beat 'em off with a stick."  
  
"Did I hear my name?" My sister walked out of Ace's, smiling. "Myra, what're you doing here? I thought you went with Teddy."  
  
"I did, but I had to ask you something. Is it okay if I camp out in Vern's backfield with the other guys? Please, Sissy?" I put on my best pout. Okay, maybe I was too old for it, but it still worked.  
  
"I guess." Rena answered. "Just be careful! And no climbing the trees! I don't want to break your arm again, especially since Daddy's out of town."  
  
I kissed my sister on the cheek. "Thanks, Rena! You're the bestest sister ever!" I started to walk away, then turned around. "Oh yeah, tomorrow I'm going to the drag races with Gordie, then I'm spendin' the night with Teddy. And then, me and Chris is gonna-"  
  
My sister interrupted me. "I get the idea! I won't see you for the next few days!" She didn't look to put-off by this. In fact, she looked down right happy about it. I knew Eyeball would be spending the night and probably the next one.  
  
"Uh, nope." I did walk away then, with a casual wave to the Cobra's. "Bye, guys."  
  
When I finally got to my house, I had alot to do. I decided to take a quick shower, because I knew I wouldn't be getting one for the next few days. I guess that girlyness was starting to kick in. Then I dressed, in a pair of dark colored blue jeans, and a yellow shirt. I pulled my long hair into two pigtail braids. I knew I looked like a first grader, but really, I didn't care. I rolled up my sleeping bag, sticking my hairbrush in the middle of it. That girlyness again. Then, I went down to eat some lunch. Two and half sandwiches later, I was ready to go.  
  
I grabbed my rolled up sleeping bag. It was one of those kind with the straps. You know, those ones you could wear like a back-pack? I walked down the street, past the Merrill's house. They weren't out on the front porch anymore, thankfully. I continued my trek up to the treehouse. Teddy and Vern were the only ones there when I arrived.  
  
"Chris and Gordie oughta be here soon." Vern said, looking out the one window.  
  
Ten minutes later, they arrived. "What kept ya?" I asked. Gordie's normally sweet eyes got dark and Chris scowled.  
  
"We ran into Ace and Eyeball, outside the Blue Point." Gordie said. "They stole my Yankee's hat. You know, the one Denny gave me?"  
  
I did know. I remember when Denny gave Gordie that hat, Gordie was so excited. I touched Gordie's arm. "I'm sorry, man. Maybe I can get Rena to get it back for you."  
  
Gordie looked up at me, smiling. "Really, Myra? That'd be great."  
  
Chris cleared his throat. "The sooner we get going, the sooner we'll be hero's. And wait to you see what I brought!"  
  
We walked across town, out to the railroad tracks, and Chris told us what had happened with the pistol. "You should have seen the look on Gordie's face! Classic!"  
  
"Well, what'd we need a pistol for anyway?" Vern asked, looking, as normal, scared. Chris shrugged.  
  
"It's spooky sleeping in the woods at night." Chris answered. I knew he was the only guy in our gang who could get away with saying something like that. If Teddy'd said it, we would have ragged his ass for a year. "We might see a bear." He smirked. "Or a garbage can."  
  
"Hey I brought a comb!" Vern said suddenly. I glanced at him.  
  
"I brought a hairbrush."  
  
"What'd we need a comb, or a hairbrush, for?" Chris asked.  
  
"Well, if we get on T.V, we wanna look good, right?" Vern answered.  
  
"Hey, that's alotta thinkin', Verno." Gordie told him. Vern grinned. Gordie turned to me. "Why'd you bring your brush, Myra?"  
  
"Because, if I don't brush my hair, it'll look like a rats nest. If we get on T.V, I don't wanna look like death warmed over."  
  
"So, you basically brought one for the same reason Vern did." Teddy countered.  
  
"Uh, yeah." I lied. I didn't want to tell them I really brought a comb because I wanted to look good for Gordie. Well, do you blame me?  
  
"How far do you think it's gonna be?" Teddy asked. We had stopped and were looking down the trussel. It seemed to go on forever.  
  
"If we follow the tracks all the way into Harlow it might be about 20 miles. Sound about right, Gordie?" Chris said, a thoughtful look on his face. And what a cute face that was!  
  
_'What are you doing?' _I asked myself._ 'These are your friends! You're not like Rena! You don't like boys like that, remember?'  
_  
"Gee. Maybe we should just hitchhike." Vern was saying. Teddy rolled his eyes.  
  
"No way! That sucks!" He said. Silently, I agreed.  
  
"Why not? We could go down Route Seven to the Shiloh church. Then down the Back Harlow road. We'd be there by sundown." Vern pressed on.  
  
"It's pussy!" Teddy told him.  
  
"Yeah." I said. "And, if we go near the highway, this moron'll be dodging trucks." I nodded my head towards Teddy, who sent me a dark look.  
  
"Hey, it's a long way." Vern said, ignoring me. I just sighed, and caught up to Chris and Gordie.  
  
We walked in silence for nearly a mile, before Teddy broke out in song.  
  
_"'Have Gun, Will Travel' reads the card of a man! A knight without armor in a savage land! His fast gun-for-hire heeds the calling wind. A soldier of fortune he's a man called Paladin!" _Before long, we were all singing.  
  
"We could fill up at the junkyard. My dad said it's a save well." Gordie told us, after we stopped singing. Well, except for Teddy. He went on singing the entire song.  
  
"Not if Chopper's there." Vern said.  
  
"If Chopper's there, we'll send you in." Chris told him.  
  
Vern rolled his eyes. "Ha-ha, so funny." He paused. "Hey, I'm kinda hungry. Who's got the food?"  
  
"Uh..." We all halted.  
  
"Oh, shit. Did anyone bring anything?" Teddy asked, looking around. We shook our heads. "Well, this is just great. What're we supposed to do? Eat our feet?"  
  
"You mean you didn't bring anything either?" Chris asked.  
  
"No!" Teddy shouted. "This was Vern's idea! Why didn't he bring anything?"  
  
" What am I supposed to do? Think of everything? I brought the comb!" Vern defended himself.  
  
"Great!" Teddy shouted even louder. "You brought the comb! What'd you need a comb for? You haven't even got any hair!"  
  
"I brought it for you guys!"  
  
"Hey, hey!" Gordie stepped between them. "Let's see how much money we've got." We all set down, and quickly counted our money. I pulled three quarters out of my jean pockets. "Okay, I have a $1.02. Sixty-eight cents from Chris, sixty cents from Teddy, seventy-five cents from Myra." He held his hand out to Vern, who reluctantly dropped a few pennies into it. "Seven cents, Vern?"  
  
"I haven't found my pennies yet!"  
  
Gordie just shook his head. "Well, $3.12 isn't bad. Quidachioluo's is at the end of the little road that goes by the junkyard. I think we can get some stuff there."  
  
"Train coming." Chris said. We all stood up, and jumped off the tracks, except for Teddy. "Come on, Teddy."  
  
"No. Uh-uh. I'm gonna dodge it." Teddy said. I rolled my eyes.  
  
"Stop dicking around, DuChamp. Get off the fucking tracks." I told him, crossing my arms over my chest.  
  
"Yeah, she's right, Teddy. Get off the tracks, man." Chris said, nodding.  
  
Teddy didn't appear to have heard us. "Train dodge, dig it."  
  
The train was coming closer. I was starting to get scared, and by the look on his face, so was Chris. "Get the hell off the tracks, Teddy! You wanna get yourself killed?"  
  
"Just like the beach at Normandy." Teddy did his machine gun imitation. I shut my eyes. If Teddy was gonna get splattered, I sure as hell didn't wanna see it.  
  
When I opened them again, Chris and Teddy were fighting. I really couldn't hear what they were saying over the sounds of the train, but they were throwing punches. Gordie was trying to get between them.  
  
"-Can dodge it on the way back!' Chris was saying. "Please man, skin it."  
  
Teddy skinned it, and we walked the rest of the way to the junkyard in silence.


End file.
